Plate frame



W. H. DEY

PLATE FRAME April 15, 1930.

Filed May 4, l928 2 MZ m a V//VV #//Z/ i 4%/ i INVENTOR BY A fgaw, Mr/cATroRNEYs y Patented pr. 1.5, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENTY OFFICE WILLIAMH. DEY,` or MONTGLAIR, NEW JERSEY, AsSIGNoR To UNITED STATES RA- DIUMCORPORATION, or NEW YORK, N. Y'.,` A CORPORATION OE DELAWARE PLATE FRAMEApplication Ied `May 4,

This invention relates to display devices and is concerned moreparticularly with a device oi this type adapted to be permanentlyattached to an object to convey information, such for example asidentifying data. The device of this invention is especially `useful fordisplaying the number of a room in a hotel, the street number of abuilding or the like, and is so constructed that it may be readilyattached to the object and the parts then assembled. When in thatcondition, the de vice cannot be easily tampered with and the datachanged or removed by unauthorized persons, except with considerabledifiiculty. The device is therefore particularly useful when the data itbears are formed by means of luminous compounds, the novelty of whichcreates a Special hazard due to souvenir hunters. Another reason whythis device is particularly useful with luminous materials is that suchmaterials require protection because of their delicate character andthis is accomplished by means of a plate of transparent material, glassbeing most suitable for the purpose. An embodiment of the inventionuseful in displaying luminous numbers will be described as typical ofits many adaptations.

In hotels, each room must have it-s number readily visible, and for thispurpose a number plate is ordinarily mounted on the door. Number plateshaving characters of luminous material visible at night are desirablefor the purpose, but as such plates are expensive, they must beprotected to prevent removal. Accordingly, the parts of the deviceshould be capable of ready attachment and assembly but when so assembledshould be locked in lace.

The device of the present invention admirably Serves these purposes andit consists of a frame of metal or the like having a front opening andmeans operable through the opening for attaching the frame to an ob#ject. This attaching means may conveniently take the form of flangesformed to partially overlie the opening at the rear and having holes forthe reception of screws which can be driven into the door. These flangesare so positioned that a screw driver can be passed 1,928.4 Serial N'o.275,015.

through the opening in the frame to drive the screws. The frame includesside Walls and a bottom wall forming a Slot, and the frame has a topwall with an Overhanging lip or flange partially closing the entrance tothe slot. The luminous characters are carried by a plaque of anysuitable material such as the product known commercially as pyralin andthis plaque is of a size to lit snugly in the slot. A glass plate isused to protect the plaque. The plate and plaque are introduced into theframe separately and when in position, the glass is held under the lipby the plaque and the lip prevents its removal. The plaque is notcovered by the lip but as the glass lies in front of it, it cannot bereached for removal.

Fora better understanding of the invention, reference may be made to theaccompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 shows a face view7 of thecomplete device; Y

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of` the frame alone,fand

Figs. 8 and 4 are sectional views on the lines 3-3, and 4t of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, the device is illustrated as comprising aframe 10 preferably made of sheet metal or the like. This frame has anopen center 11 in its front wall through which the data are to bevisible, and it has two side walls 12 and a bottom wall 13, whichtogether form a .slot for the reception of plates. The top 14 of theframehas a rearwardly extending flange or lip 15 which partiallyoverlies the top of the slot.

Extending from the rear edges of the side walls are flanges 16, each ofwhich lies Sub* stantially parallel to the plane of the frame, and theseflanges are wide enough to be visible through the open center of theframe. Each flange has holes 17 through which screws 18 may be insertedand driven into the object to which the frame is to be attached, by ascrew driver inserted through the open center. Each flange also may haveone or more tongues 19 struck from it and extending into the slot in theframe in a downward direction. These tongues are prefien erably oftriangular sha e and formed by slitting the metal of the anges.

The device also includes a plate of glass 20 Which fits the slot in theframe snugly, and a plaque 21 of similar size made of pyralin or thelike and carrying symbols 22 such as numerals. Preferably when thenumerals are formed of luminous compounds, they are sunk into the faceof the plaque and the luminous material 23 lies in the recesses soformed.

In using the device, the frame is attached to the desired obj ect in themanner described. The glass plate is then inserted in the slot and ushedto the front so that its upper edge lies eneath the lip 15. The plaqueis noW slipped into the slot behind the plate as illustrated in Fig. 4.The frame is so formed that the slot will receive both the plate ofglass and the plaque and When these parts are in the slot, they fitsnugly. In introducing the plaque into the slot, it bends down thetongues 19 slightly and the ends of the tongues bear against the rearface of the laque and force it and the plate toward the ront face of theframe.

With the device assembled, the plate and plaque overlie and conceal thescrews so that they cannot be removed. The plate of glass cannot beslipped out of the frame because its upper edge lies beneath theoverhanging lip 15, and the plaque cannot be removed because the glassprotects its front face so that it cannot be reached and its upper edgelies flush with the top of the frame. Thus the glass and the plaque holdeach other in place 1n a manner which prevents their unauthorizedremoval. The tongues also resist removal of the plaque as upwardmovement of it will cause the sharp points of the tongues to dig intothe plaque.

The device Will be seen to be of simple inexpensive construction, easilyattached and assembled, and preventing unauthorized changes or removalof the parts. The frame can be made of any suitable metal finished to bein harmony With the finish of the door and the device provides a neatnumber or display plate useful for many purposes and in different forms.The device likewise affords means for mounting the protective glassplate in position Withoutusing outwardly extending ianges or exposedscrews, a method which is usually unsightly and causes tearing ofdusters and cloths and catching and holding of parts thereof.

The device is compact and may be made to hold any desired number in asingle frame, Whereas installation of such numbers separately involvesconsiderable labor and great difficulty in aligning the numbersproperly. Also, the use of separate numerals individually mountedrequires more intelligent workmen and under the best conditions, it isdifficult to make a linished attractive installation. When a change indata is required the only change necessary is the removal of the plateWhich can be accomplished by means of a special thin tool insertableinto the frame from beneath. No change in the mounting of the frame isrequired and defacement of the door or object is thus avoided. Also, byreason of its compactness, the device requires little space in the sameplane and may thus be mounted Where separate characters individuallymounted could not be used.

The device also permits the surface on which it is mounted to berelinished Without damage to the data. lVhere separate characters areemployed, they must be removed When the surface is refinished or elseespecial care must be taken to avoid eflacing them. Even when this isattempted, defacementis likely to result. The new device makesrefinishing Without injury to the device a simple matter due to thedevice having a rectangular shape with flat sides.

I claim:

1. A display device comprising an open center frame having Wallsdefining a slot, one of the Walls having a part partially overhan gingthe slot to form a restricted entrance thereto, a pair of plates ofsubstantially the same thickness received in the slot, one of theseplates lying beneath said overhanging part, and held there by the secondplate, said second plate lying opposite the opening to the slot andmeans at the rear of the frame and Within the lateral margin thereof forattaching it to an object.

2. A display device comprising an open center frame having Wallsdefining a slot, one of the Walls having a. part partially overhangingthe slot to form a restricted entrance thereto, a pair of plates ofsubstantially the same thickness disposed in the slot, these plateshaving lateral dimensions slightly less than those of the slot, andhaving a combined thickness substantially equal to the depth of theslot7 one of these plates being held beneath said overhanging partby theother plate, and means at the rear of the frame and Within its lateralmargin for attaching it to an object.

3. A display device comprising an open center frame having front andrear Walls defining a slot, the front Wall having a part partiallyoverhanging the slot to form a restricted entrance thereto, a pair ofplates of substantially the same thickness disposed in the slot, one infront of the other and the front plate held beneath said overhangingpart by said rear plate only, said plates resting on the lower Wall ofthe slot, With the top of the rear plate opposite the open end of theslot, and means at the rear of the frame and Within its lateral marginfor attaching it to an object.

4. A display device comprising an open center frame having wallsdefining a slot,

llO

` one of the walls having a part partially overhanging the slot to forma restricted entrance thereto, apair of plates of substantially the samethickness disposed in said slot, one in front of the other with one ofsaid plates held beneath said overhanging part by the other plate, andmeans at the rear of the frame for attaching it to an object, said meansbeing operable through the opening in the frame when said slot is emptybut concealed and rendered inoperable by said plates when they are inposition in the frame.

5. A display device comprising an open center frame having wallsdefining a slot, one of the walls having a part partially overhangingthe slot to form a restricted entrance thereto, flanges at the rear ofthe frame having openings for the passage of fastening means, theseopenings being accessible through the open center of the frame when theslot is empty and a pair of plates in the slot of substantially the samethickness lying one in front of the other with one plate held beneathsaid overhanging part by the second plate, the plates in the slotconcealing and rendering inaccessible fastening means inserted throughsaid openings.

`6. In a display device, an open centerframe having walls defining aslot to the rear of the plane of the front of the frame, an extensionfrom one of said walls partially ov-erhanging the slot and forming arestricted entrance thereto, and a pair of plates of substantially thesame thickness in the slot removable through the entrance and having acombined thickness greater than the Width of the entrance to the slot,one of said pla-tes being held beneath said extension by the otherplate.

7 In a display device, an open center frame having front and rear wallsdefining a slot, a lip on the front wall extending rearwardly topartially overhang said slot and form a restricted entrance thereto, anda pair of plates of substantially the same thickness inV said slotremovable through the entrance, Ahese plates being disposed one beforethe other and having a combined thickness such that the front plate isheld under the lip by the rear plate when the plates are in position inthe slot.

8. In a display device, an open center frame having Walls delining aslot, an extension from one of the walls partially overhanging said slotto restrict the entrance thereto, and

a pair of plates of substantially the same thickness in the slot andremovable separately through the entrance, these plates having acombined thickness greater than the Width of the entrance whereby whenthe plates are in position in the slot one in front of the other, oneplate is held by the other beneath said extension, the plate so heldbeing transparent and the other plate carrying symbols visible throughthe transparent plate.

9. In a display device, an open center frame of metal having front andrear walls delining a slot, an extending lip from the front wallpartially overhanging said slot to restrict the entrance thereto, a pairof plates of substantially the same thickness in the slot removablethrough the entrance and disposed one in front of the other with thefront plate held under the lip by the rear plate, the front plate beingof glass and the rear plate carrying symbols, and means on the frame forsecuring it to the flat surface of an object, said means lying withinthe lateral margin of the frame.

l0. In a display device, an open center frame having` front and rearwalls dening a slot, a lip extending rearwardly from the front wall topartially overhang the slot and restrict the entrance thereto, a pair ofplates in the slot, lying one in front of the other with the front plateheld under the lip by the rear plate, and means at each end of the framefor forcing both plates toward the front of the frame, said means alsoresisting removal of the plates.

1l. In a display device, an open center frame having front and rearwalls defining a slot, extension from the front wall overhanging theslot partially to form a restricted entrance thereto, a pair of platesin the slot and lying one in front of the other, with the front plateheld beneath said extension by the other plate, and means on the framefor forcing said plates toward the side of the frame from which saidextension springs, said means engaging the rear plate and acting toresist removal thereof.

l2. In a display device, an open center frame having walls defining aslot, an eX- tension from one of said walls overhanging the slotpartially to form a restricted entrance thereto, a pair of plates in theslot lying one in front of the other, with one plate held beneath saidextension by the other plate, and tongues struck from the frame to enterthe slot and engage one of the plates to resist the removal thereof.

13. A display device comprising an open center frame, the walls of theframe defining a slot having an open end, inwardly extending flangesfrom the frame at the rear thereof, these flanges lying parallel to theplane of the frame and having openings for the reception of means forfastening the frame to a flat object, said means being operable throughthe opening in the frame, an extension from the top Wall of the framepartially overlying the slot and restricting the entrance thereto, apair of plates in the slot, lying one in front of the other, with thefront plate held beneath the extension by the other plate, and means onthe flanges engaging the rear plate and resisting its removal from theslot.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

WILLIAM I-I. DEY.

